1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates generally to leak detection within a fluid system, and more specifically to leak detection using a visual vapor and a detectable gas generated with the visual vapor, with the detectable gas being used specifically for detecting small leaks within the fluid system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Most vehicles include fluid systems which may be critical to the overall operation of the vehicle. Indeed, a vehicle's air braking system, air suspension system, intake system, exhaust system, cooling system, air conditioning system and sealed components may be fluid systems. If a fluid system on a vehicle begins leaking, the system may not function properly. Furthermore, if heavy duty trucks exceed a Department of Transportation specified maximum air brake system leakdown rate, the vehicle may be deemed unsafe to operate and removed from service. Accordingly, detecting leaks in fluid systems is critical to the overall operability of the vehicle.
Currently, there are several methods for detecting leaks in a fluid system. One particular method is to pressurize the fluid system with air and to listen for leaks. A common deficiency with this method is that the leaks may not be discernable without specialized listening devices, which are typically rendered useless in loud environments, such as a typical vehicle repair facility. Furthermore, not all leaks create a harmonic vibration that can be detected with listening devices.
Another known method for detecting leaks includes injecting a visual vapor or smoke into the system and look for the smoke leaking from the system. This particular method tends to work well for larger leaks. However, in the case of smaller leaks, the vaporized oil particles in the visible smoke may be too large to pass through a microscopic leak orifice. Accordingly, the technician may not be provided with a visual cue associated with a large leak because only the air is passing through the orifice while the oil particles are left behind.
Another method used to detect leaks is to inject a dye into the system and to look for a dye stain around the leak orifice. As with the smoke example above, the dye molecules may be held back in cases of microscopic leaks, rendering this method ineffective. Furthermore, in larger systems, such as an air induction system or an air brake system on a heavy duty tractor with multiple trailers connected, it would be very difficult to properly coat all internal surfaces of the fluid system to perform an effective test. Also some OEM manufacturers forbid the use of dyes and other contaminants into their vehicles, as some believe that the dye can coat or harm critical sensors. Furthermore, the dye oil may include solvents which manufacturers of diesel particulate filters and other catalytic devices strongly suggest that their products are not exposed to out of fear of an exothermal event which may harm the microthin catalytic coating of palladium, platinum, etc.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an easy to use, universal leak detection system and related method, which may be used to detect and locate large, medium and microscopic leaks with a single test in large, medium and small fluid systems. Various aspects of the present disclosure address this particular need, as will be discussed in more detail below.